In any home there’s always the desire to add your own personal touch; with rental homes, however, this can get a bit tricky.

Since the home you’re living in technically isn’t yours, you’re not entirely entitled to change it up however you please. Sure, you can move things around and decorate in your personal way, but before you start painting and knocking down walls, run it by your landlord first.

Usually with simple things like paint colors your landlord will let you have the freedom to paint over the colors the home came with, as long as you commit to getting them back to their original color once you move out. Now, it gets a bit trickier with things like floors (and floor plans, too). If you want to change from carpet to wood floors, or anything in that realm, you definitely need to ask your landlord if it’s okay with them. Typically if it’s something that’ll increase the value of the home, or just make it look better, they’ll be okay with it. Wanting to make big changes, like remodeling, aren’t really in your best interest. Yeah, it’d be great to have a huge closet, but is it worth the cost and hassle on a home that isn’t even yours?! Don’t think so. Unless it’s something that is absolutely necessary, and you know you’ll be living in the home for a looooong time, your landlord probably won’t sign off on it either. Plus, all of these changes aren’t free; these will require a big financial investment on your end.

If you want to add your own personal touch, focus on the decor of the room and creating the right ambiance. Super easy and you don’t need anyone’s approval but your own.